Chelsea ‘will offer’ swap deal for Real Madrid star as key Maresca starter heads out | OneFootball

Chelsea are ready to allow Enzo Fernandez to complete a move to Real Madrid if the Spanish side allow Jude Bellingham to move to Stamford Bridge, according to reports.

The Blues are having a decent season with Enzo Maresca’s side fourth in the Premier League heading into their match against Aston Villa later on Saturday.

Chelsea backed Maresca in the summer transfer window with over £280m spent on new signings as Clearlake look to make a push for the top echelons on the league.

And, with ten new signings, Maresca has done a good job of keeping everyone happy and gelling a new team together on the pitch.

Chelsea are far from the finished article and the club are willing to keep strengthening over the next couple of transfer windows with Spanish publication Defensa Central claiming that the Blues ‘will offer Real Madrid a swap deal to sign Bellingham’.

Real Madrid have a long-standing interest in Chelsea midfielder Fernandez – who has contributed five goals and two assists this season in all competitions – and the Blues ‘are even prepared to offer Real Madrid a swap deal involving’ the Argentina international to sign Bellingham.

The report adds: ‘We do know that Jude Bellingham isn’t considering leaving Real Madrid. At least, not in the short term. He’s very happy at the club and is eager to redeem himself after what happened last season, when he was far from his best. Therefore, even though other teams might be interested, he has no intention of leaving the best team in the world.

‘For now, his mindset remains unchanged. He’s very happy at the best club in the world and surrounded by fantastic players. He knows he can make history here and leave his mark for years to come, and he’s still very young. In the future, if he chooses, he could play in the Premier League and finish his career in England, closer to his loved ones. But right now, he’s at a point where he needs to seize the opportunity to grow more than ever as a player.’

Former Manchester City star Shaun Wright-Phillips thinks the scrutiny from the media on England players could stop Bellingham returning to play in the Premier League.

Wright-Phillips told BestBettingSites: “If I was Jude Bellingham, I think it could put me off from playing in the Premier League, definitely. In England we seem to target a player ahead of a big tournament, like they’re dying to break one of them down.

“I’ve just never understood why. You want your players going into a tournament full of confidence. Arrogant, almost. You want them knowing and thinking they can win. The press should big them up, help them, not tear them down like this. The press causes problems and puts doubts in their head, and changes the way they think.

“I think if you change a player’s personality, you change how they play. That’s not always good. Far from it. I think the players need to just concentrate on what they’re doing. So if I was Jude, why would I come back when I can stay at Real Madrid and enjoy life at the same time, without bad press that comes for no reason.

“I think he’s the go-to man for England, and I sometimes do not understand why he is in the crosshairs. He’s not perfect, but he’s performing well for club and country. It’s not like he has some huge arrogant attitude, or plays badly. They should leave him be and let him prepare mentally.”